The Child Protection Committee is crisscrossing Vermont to hear feedback about the agency. About 100 people came to Rutland High School for the Tuesday night session.

It’s the closest spot to where 2-year-old Dezirae Sheldon called home. Sheldon died in February while under the supervision of the agency.

In April, 14-month-old Peighton Geraw of Winooski died. The boy had been visited by a DCF caseworker earlier in the day.

Parents, foster parents and their advocates gave their two cents about how to revamp the system, which they said is failing the state’s children.

“To have one child die is unbelievable,” said Caprice Hover. “To have two is beyond comprehension.”

“Make no mistake, I and many others have very, very little faith in either DCF or the family court system,” said Craig Miller.

The theme Tuesday night: Create better communication between authorities and DCF workers and educate young people on being better parents.

“Many of your policies almost conflict with each other and sometimes you're changing to new policies before you've totally instituted the old policies,” said Linda McIntire.

Others said the agency focuses too much on returning children to their biological parents when those adults may not be fit to parent at all.

“By giving them back to these people, you're just breeding more of them,” said Alex Grimes. “More people who live off the system. More people who abuse children. More people who are drug users. And things need to seriously change.”

The committee is not investigating Sheldon or Geraw’s deaths.

On June 5, hearings will continue at 11 a.m. at the St. Albans Town Hall, 2 p.m. at the O'Brien Community Center in Winooski and at the Ilsley Public Library in Middlebury at 5:30 p.m.

On June 10, hearings will kick off at 11 a.m. at the Morse Theater at the St. Johnsbury Academy then move on to the Morrisville Town Hall at 2:30 p.m. and wrap up on at 6 p.m. at the Statehouse in Montpelier.

COVERAGE OF THE TROUBLES AT D-C-F. TODAY MARKED THE START OF NINE PUBLIC HEARINGS... TONIGHT -- A BIG ONE IN RUTLAND COUNTY ... WHERE A 2- YEAR-OLD DIED IN FEBRUARY. WPTZ'S DAVID CHARNS IS ON THE STORY TONIGHT. - David Charns Rutland about a hundred people came out to rutland high school tonight. Ofcourse rutland county is where 2-year-old dezirae sheldon is from. She died in february while under the supervision of d-c-f. Now people want to make sure a similar case does not happen again Caprice Hover Rutland to have one child die is unbelievable. To have 2 is beyond comprehension VERMONTERS WITH TIES TO D- C-F GIVE TESTIONY IN FRONT OF A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE. THE PANEL WAS SET UP TO REVIEW POLICIES AT D-C- F.... FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF 2- YEAR-OLD DEZIRAE SHELDON. SHELDON HAD TIES TO D-C-F... AS DID PEIGHTON GERAW -- A 14- MONTH-OLD WINOOSKI BOY WHO DIED IN APRIL. Craig Miller Chester make no mistake I and many others have very very little faith in either dcf or the family court system PARENTS... FOSTER PARENTS... AND THEIR ADVOCATES... GAVE THEIR TWO CENTS ABOUT HOW TO REVAMP THE SYSTEM. Linda McIntire Rutland many of your policies almost conflict with each other and sometimes you're changing to new policies before you've totally instituted the old policies IDEAS THROWN OUT TUESDAY INCLUDE CREATING A BETTER SYSTEM OF CROSS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CASEWORKERS AND AUTHORITIES -- LIKE POLICE WHO MAY BE INVESTIGATING ABUSE. OTHERS SAY D-C-F FOCUSES TOO MUCH ON RETURNING CHILDREN TO THEIR BIOLOGICAL PARENTS... WHEN THOSE ADULTS MAY NOT BE FIT TO PARENT AT ALL. Alex Grimes Rutland by giving them back to these people, you're just breeding more of them. More people who live off the system. More people who abuse children. More people who are drug users. And things need to seriously change David Charns Rutland this panel making it clear its not their duty to investigate about the two infant deaths we've seen... Only to hear from the public on how to make the system better. In rutland, dc, wptz nc5 THE LEGISLATIVE